Combined pressure filling and dispensing control valve for aerosol containers

ABSTRACT

A valve for an aerosol dispensing container which functions not only to control normal fluid dispensing from the container but also facilitates pressure filling where the valve is sealed in the mouth of the container prior to loading. The valve employs a tailpiece and plastic dip tubing mounted on the tailpiece, in conjunction with a coaxial integral sleeve on the valve housing, to form a resilient seal which is effective against fluid bypassing the dip tube at normal internal operating pressures of the aerosol dispenser, but which permits such bypassing to occur when filling pressures are introduced into the valve housing. Preferably the valve also incorporates special sealing grommets surrounding the neck of the valve stem which act as a one-way check valve providing increased flow rate of fluid product around the valve stem during pressure filling.

United States Patent Venus, Jr.

[45]. Mar. 28, 1972 [72] Inventor:

[73] Assignee:

Frank Venus, Jr., Watertown, Conn.

The Rlsdon Mnnuiaeturing Company, Naugatuck, Conn.

[22] Filed: Mar. 23, 1970 [2!] Appl. No.: 21,963

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,104,785 9/1963 Beard..222/207 2,774,520 12/1956 Laundry ..222/402.24

Primary Examiner-Samuel F Coleman Assistant Examiner-Larry H. MartinAttorney-Steward & Steward, Merrill F. Steward, Donald T. Steward andWalter D. Hunter [57] ABSTRACT A valve for an aerosol dispensingcontainer which functions not only to control normal fluid dispensingfrom the container but also facilitates pressure filling where the valveis sealed in the mouth of the container prior to loading. The valveemploys a tailpiece and plastic dip tubing mounted on the tailpiece, inconjunction with a coaxial integral sleeve on the valve housing, to forma resilient seal which is effective against fluid bypassing the dip tubeat normal internal operating pressures of the aerosol dispenser, butwhich permits such bypassing to occur when filling pressures areintroduced into the valve housing. Preferably the valve alsoincorporates special sealing grommets surrounding the neck of the valvestem which act as a one-way check valve providing increased flow rate offluid product around the valve stem during pressure 3,158,297 11/1964Ferryetal. ..222/402.l6 fining I 3,061,203 10/1962 Kitabayashi.....222/402.24X 3,036,743 5/1962 Rhodes et al. ..222/402.l69Claims,l0DrawlngFigures M! Z 2A 1 Z /5 32/ l /6 I PATENTEDMARza I9723,651,997

SHEET 2 BF 2 F RA NA VENUS, JR.

1 1; ATTORNEYJ COMBINED PRESSURE FILLING AND DISPENSING CONTROL VALVEFOR- AEROSOL CONTAINERS This invention relates to values for aerosol orself-pressurized dispensing containers, and more particularly to valvesof this type which facilitate the pressure filling or charging of fluidproduct into the container after the valve has been permanently sealedin the mouth of the container.

The method of pressure filling aerosol containers after the valveassembly has been fixed in the mouth of the container, thereby closingthe container, is well-known and provides certain advantages over thealternative cold-filling method. The latter involves chilling the fluidproduct and particularly the pressure-producing gas component thereof toa point where the vapor pressure of the fluid is sufficiently low toavoid excessive evaporation losses during filling and cappingoperations. Some of the arrangements heretofore proposed for valveshaving capability for pressure filling of aerosol containers are shownin United States patents such as St. Germain, U.S. Pat. No. 2,746,796;Rheinstrom, U.S. Pat. No. 2,890,817; Bradbury, U.S. Pat. No. 2,961,131;Rhodes et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,036,743 and 3,081,916; Nesin, U.S. Pat.No. 3,096,003; Beard, U.S. Pat. No. 3,104,785; Briechle, U.S. Pat. No.3,158,298; Venus, U.S. Pat. No. 3,185,356; and Kufi'er, U.S. Pat. No.3,375,957. Since the valves in question are of the disposable type, inthat they are not reclaimed or reused but are simply thrown away withthe empty container, and since they are employed in very largequantities, even small economies in valve design play an extremelysignificant part in the commercial suitability and success of anyparticular valve. The valves of this invention are accordingly designedwith this in mind and through dual use of certain essential componentsof the valve assembly, a valve of the desired type is afforded havingfewer parts and/or effecting more economical use of the same parts thanvalves provided heretofore for the same purpose.

To this end, valves incorporating this invention are characterized byemploying the conventional dip tube at its point of attachment to amolded plastic valve housing in such manner that these member coact toform as a one-way bypass valve. While the dip tubing employed can bequite rigid, it is preferable that it have resiliency of the orderprovided by conventional dip tubes of polyethylene, polypropylene, etc.The plastic of which the valve housing is molded should however not beof the highly rigid type, such as the acrylic resins usually provide.Rather, linear polyethylene or polypropylene, for example, having goodphysical stability with reasonable resiliency is best for the housing.This resiliency is supplemented by the particular configuration in whichthe valve housing inlet is molded, as hereinafter discussed. The purposeis to provide and an auxiliary fluid or bypass fluid passage at theinner end of the dip tube, supplementing the normal path of fluid flowthrough the dip tube, in order to increase the capacity of the valveassembly for higher rates of fluid product flow during charging orpressure filling operations. Preferably valves of the invention alsoinclude a special design of grommet for sealing the neck of the valvestem at the discharge or outlet side of the valve housing, whichcooperates with the clip tube bypassing arrangement mentioned above.

Further details of the invention will be apparent from the followingdescription of specific embodiments shown in the accompanying drawings,in which FIG. 1 is an enlarged fragmentary view in cross-sectionalelevation of an aerosol container incorporating a valve embodying theinvention, certain parts being broken away for clarity of illustration,the valve being shown in pressure filling mode of operation;

FIG. 2 is a similar cross-sectional view on still larger scale showingthe valve in normal closed condition;

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 33 of FIG. 2 looking inthe direction of the arrows;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken on line 44 of FIG. 2, looking inthe direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of the lower end of a valve assemblysimilar to that seen in FIG. 2 but showing a modification thereof; and

FIGS. 6 through 10 are plan views of various valve stem sealing grommetsadapted to be used in the valve assembly.

In FIG. I the illustration depicts a portion of the upper part of anaerosol dispenser equipped with a valve of the present invention, thevalve being shown in pressure filling or charging mode of operation.Valve assembly 10 is mounted in the open mouth 12 of a container 14,assembly 10 including a mounting cup 16 whose peripheral flange 18 isrolled over lip 20 at the mouth of the container thus closing thecontainer. Mounting cup 16 is formed centrally with an upstandingcylindrical boss 22 having a central aperture 24 in its top wall. Atubular valve housing 30 of molded plastic is formed with an externalshoulder 32 at its upper end which is received internally of boss 22,and the sidewall of boss 22 is crimped or staked beneath this shoulderat several points 34 about its circumference to securely grip and retainthe valve housing in the mounting cup. Housing 30 cooperates with theupper wall of boss 22 to grip the periphery of superimposed resilientannular grommets 36, 38, providing a fluid seal between shoulder 32 andthe top wall of boss 22.

A tubular valve core 40 is telescopingly received in valve housing 30,core 40 having a radially enlarged shoulder 42 and an integral neckportion or stem 44 of lesser diameter extending axially outward of theshoulder and projecting through aperture 24 in the top wall of boss 22.Stem 44 is sufficiently smaller in diameter than the aperture to provideappreciable clearance between the stem and margin of the aperture. For

example, in actual commercial practice, the diameter of the stem portionof a typical valve core may be on the order of 0.125 inch while that ofthe aperture in boss 22 may be approximately 0.145 inch. The purpose ofcourse is to allow clearance for the introduction of aerosol productaround the valve core, as well as through it, in the pressure fillingprocess. Each of grommets 36, 38 is apertured centrally to receive andmake a sliding seal with the periphery of stem 44. During pressurefilling, as seen in FIG. 1, the body portions of the grommetssurrounding their apertures are flexed inwardly of the valve housing,and the housing is formed with an annular recess 46 at its upper end topermit such flexure to occur more easily. In the normal closed positionof valve core 40 (FIG. 2), its shoulder 42 abuts the margin of theaperture in the lower grommet 38 to compress both it and superimposedgrommet 36 against the top wall of boss 22, thus sealing the outlet ofhousing 30. An axial compression spring 48 confined between shoulder 42of valve core 40 and a peripheral shelf or step 50 within housing 30,normally biases the core to the valve-closed position. In this position,discharge port 52 in stem 44 of the valve core is maintained out ofcommunication with the interior of the valve housing 30. When the valvecore is depressed, however, as when normal dispensing from the aerosolcontainer is desired, port 52 is moved below gaskets 36, 38, intocommunication with the interior of the housing. In such position, fluidunder pressure within housing 30 passes through port 52 and out throughthe hollow interior of stem 44 for dispensing. Usually an actuatorbutton (not shown) incorporating a discharge nozzle is mounted on theprojecting end of stem 44.

The open position of valve core 40 just described is also utilizedduring pressure filling, as shown in FIG. 1, where a filling head 54 isapplied over the projecting stem 44 and held in temporary sealingcontact against the upper face of boss 22 while aerosol fluid productunder substantial pressure is pumped through the head and into container14, passing both through and around valve core 40 in the process, asmentioned above.

Valve housing 30 is also provided with the usual dip tube 60 which isreceived on tailpiece 62, the latter having a central bore 64 leadingfrom the interior of the valve housing to the inlet end of thetailpiece.

The valve construction thus far described is generally similar toestablished commercial aerosol valve design. Without the incorporationof the further features constituting the present invention, the rate offluid product flow into a container during pressure filling will belimited by the resistance by the substantial resistance imposed by bore64 in tailpiece 62 and especially by the relatively small bore and greatlength of dip tubing 60. Such resistance is reduced and the pressurefilling rate substantially increased by employing valves incor-'porating the present invention.

According to the present invention, a fluid bypass is provided topermitfluid to be pumped into the interior of the housing independently ofbore 64 and dip tubing 60 in filling the container. To this end, housing30 is formed with an integral sleeve 70 coaxial of and at leastpartially coextensive with tailpiece 62 but which is in radially spacedrelation to it, forming an annular well 72 in which the upper end of diptubing 60is received. The-lower or free end of sleeve 70 is molded toprovide an internal peripheral lip or bead 74 proportioned to makeresilient engagement circumferentially of the outer surface of the diptube within the axially coextensive limits of the sleeve and tailpiece.Preferably the wall of sleeve 70 is tapered in the region of lip 74 soas to reduce the wall thickness and increase the radial flexibility ofthe sleeve at this point. Annular well 72 communicates with the interiorof valve housing 30 through one or more axial slots or grooves in 76formed in the, inner wall of the housing, such grooves terminating shortof the lip 74 of sleeve 70.

By properly coordinating the resiliency of the molded plastic of whichthe valve housing and possibly also the dip tube are formed, as well asproportioning the thickness of the wall of sleeve 70, the engagementbetween internal lip or bead 74 and dip tubing 60 can be made to form afluid seal about the tubing which is effective to prevent bypassing offluid under normal dispensing pressures existing within the contaiher towhich the valve is assembled, yet yieldable at fluid pressuressignificantly greater than normal dispensing pressure to allow fluid toflow between the lip and dip tube in the manner indicated by the arrowsin FIG. 1. Obviously fluid will still of course pass through bore 64 anddip tube 60 so that the flow passages operate in parallel during thefilling mode of operation but the greater part of the flow occurs troughthe bypassJWhen the filling pressure imposed by head 54 is removed, theseal between lip 74 and dip tube 60 is automatically reestablished.

ln commercial practice, the normal pressure maintained in an aerosoldispenser to expel the fluid product when the valve is operated by theuser will range from approximately 14 pounds per square inch gauge to 40or 50 p.s.i.g. On the other hand, filling pressures imposed by pumpingthe product through filling head 54 are normally on the order of atleast 600 p.s.i.g. and higher if the valve will stand it. The bypassingarrangement here disclosed-permits such higher pressures to be utilized,thus greatly speeding up the filling process.

While a single outlet sealing grommet can be employed in place of themultiple grommet 36, 38, arrangement specifically illustrated, thearrangement shown is preferred not only because it is possible to get amore effective sliding seal between the margin of the grommet and stem44 of valve core 40, but because a greater pressure filling flow ratecan be achieved by using two or more grommets whose annular bodyportions are pierced at peripherally spaced points, with the piercing inone grommet being rotatably offset from that of the adjacent grommet orgrommets. Additional fluid flow paths through the grommets are thusprovided. This piercing can take the form of small holes or apertures 80in the annular body portion of the grommets, as seen in FIG. 6 whereinholes 80of the upper grommets are angularly offset from thoseof thesubadjacent grommet. Or the grommets may be slit, as seen in FIGS. 7 and8, and superimposed so that the slits in one are out of registry withthose of the other. The slits may be circumferential as well as radial,or may be a combination of both, as seen in FIGS. 9 and 10.

In those instances where the nature of the aerosol product is such thata very small bore dip tube is desirable in the valve assembly, itusually will not be practical to use the outer surface of the dip tubeas one element of the bypass sealing arrangement. In such case, however,a short length 90 of standard diameter dip tubing can be employed asseenin FIG. over tailpiece 92 and the latter bored internally to receivea small bore or capillary type of dip tube 94. In other respects thearrangement of the valve in FIG. 5 is the same as that shown in FIGS. 1through 4.

What is claimed is: I

1. In a combined pressure filling and dispensing valve for an aerosolcontainer having a filling mouth, said valve including a molded plastictubular housing having open inlet and outlet ends,

a mounting cup engaging said housing at its outlet end to support it inthe mouth of a container and to close the container, said cup havinganopening aligned with the axis of said housing,

a tubular valve core telescopingly received in said housing and having aneck portion projecting through said mounting cup opening in radiallyspaced relation to the margin thereof,

sealing means about said neck portion to close the outlet end of saidvalve housing, said valve core normally blocking release of aerosolproduct from said housing but axially depressable relative thereto topermit release of aerosol product through said core;

the improvement which comprises:

a. an integrally formed tubular tailpiece at the inlet end of said valvehousing providing a conduit for communicating the interior of thehousing with the interior of a container,

b. a length of resilient plastic dip tubing disposed over saidtailpiece,

c. a sleeve also formed integrally on said housing coaxially of and atleast partially coextensive with said tailpiece in radially spacedrelation thereto to form an annular well in which said dip tubing isreceived,

(I. a peripheral lip formed internally in said sleeve, said lip makingresilient engagement circumferentially of the surface of said dip tubingwithin the axially coextensive limits of said sleeve and tailpiece, andv e. fluid passage means communicating said annular well internally ofsaid lip with the interior of said valve housing.

2. A combined pressure filling and dispensing control valve as definedin claim 1, wherein the wall of said sleeve is radially resilient in theregion of said lip.

3. A combined pressure filling and dispensing control valve as definedin claim 2, wherein the wall of said sleeve in the region of said lip istapered to reduce its thickness."

4. A combined pressure filling and dispensing control valve as definedin claim 1, wherein a peripheral bead is formed on the inner wall ofsaid sleeve adjacent its free terminus to pro- .vide said lip.

5. A combined pressure filling and dispensing control valve as definedin claim 1, wherein said length of dip tubing disposed over saidtailpiece is substantially coextensive with said tailpiece and saidtailpiece is formed with an internal socket for reception therein of anadditional length of dip tub-' mg.

6. A combined pressure filling and dispensing control valve for anaerosol container having a filling mouth comprising,

a rigid mounting cup for closing said container mouth and for supportingsaid valve assembly on said container, said mounting cup having acentral opening,

a tubular valve housing of molded plastic open at its opposite ends withthe outer end secured in said cup coaxially with the opening thereof,

a tubular valve core telescoped within said valve housing and having aradially enlarged annular shoulder and an integrally joined neck ofreduced diameter projecting axially outwardly through the opening insaid cup in marginally spaced relation to said opening,

annular resilient gasket means gripped on its outer periphery betweensaid mounting cup and valve housing, said gasket means having a bodyportion free for axial flexure and a central aperture, the margin ofwhich embraces said neck of the valve core to provide a sliding sealtherewith,

a spring compressed axially between said valve housing and valve core tourge the latter outwardly of the housing and compress the body portionof said gasket means between said shoulder and mounting cup,

said tubular valve core being closed at its inner end and having a portextending through the wall of said valve core neck adjacent saidshoulder, said port being normally closed by said gasket means butmovable into communication with the interior of said valve housing byaxial depression of said valve core against said spring,

and conduit means at the inlet end of said valve housing for a sleeve onsaid valve house integrally joined at one end to said housing coaxiallyof and at least partially coextensive with said tailpiece and beingradially spaced from said tailpiece to provide an annular well withinwhich said dip tubing is received,

said sleeve having on its interior surface a peripheral lip which makescontact circumferentially of the surface of said plastic dip tubing toform a seal thereabout within the axially coextensive limits of saidsleeve and tailpiece, said contact being effective to prevent bypassingof fluid at normal operating pressures of the aerosol dispenser butsufficiently resilient to permit radial distortion at fluid pressuressignificantly greater than normal dispensing pressure to break said sealand allow fluid to pass between said lip and dip tubing,

passage means formed in said valve housing communicating said annularwell internally of said lip with the interior of said valve housing;

said gasket means at said housing outlet end comprising at least twosuperimposed resilient grommets, each being axially pierced in itsannular body portion at circumferentially spaced points, said grommetsbeing rotatively positioned in said valve housing such that the piercingin each of them is angularly offset from that of adjacent grommets.

7. A combined pressure filling and dispensing control valve as definedin claim 6, wherein said grommets are pierced to providecircumferentially spaced holes.

8. A combined pressure filling and dispensing control valve as definedin claim 6, wherein said grommets are pierced to providecircumferentially spaced slits.

9. A combined pressure filling and dispensing control valve as definedin claim 6, wherein one grommet is pierced to provide holes and theother to provide slits.

1. In a combined pressure filling and dispensing valve for an aerosolcontainer having a filling mouth, said valve including a molded plastictubular housing having open inlet and outlet ends, a mounting cupengaging said housing at its outlet end to support it in the mouth of acontainer and to close the container, said cup having an opening alignedwith the axis of said housing, a tubular valve core telescopinglyreceived in said housing and having a neck portion projecting throughsaid mounting cup opening in radially spaced relation to the marginthereof, sealing means about said neck portion to close the outlet endof said valve housing, said valve core normally blocking release ofaerosol product from said housing but axially depressable relativethereto to permit release of aerosol product through said core; theimprovement which comprises: a. an integrally formed tubular tailpieceat the inlet end of said valve housinG providing a conduit forcommunicating the interior of the housing with the interior of acontainer, b. a length of resilient plastic dip tubing disposed oversaid tailpiece, c. a sleeve also formed integrally on said housingcoaxially of and at least partially coextensive with said tailpiece inradially spaced relation thereto to form an annular well in which saiddip tubing is received, d. a peripheral lip formed internally in saidsleeve, said lip making resilient engagement circumferentially of thesurface of said dip tubing within the axially coextensive limits of saidsleeve and tailpiece, and e. fluid passage means communicating saidannular well internally of said lip with the interior of said valvehousing.
 2. A combined pressure filling and dispensing control valve asdefined in claim 1, wherein the wall of said sleeve is radiallyresilient in the region of said lip.
 3. A combined pressure filling anddispensing control valve as defined in claim 2, wherein the wall of saidsleeve in the region of said lip is tapered to reduce its thickness. 4.A combined pressure filling and dispensing control valve as defined inclaim 1, wherein a peripheral bead is formed on the inner wall of saidsleeve adjacent its free terminus to provide said lip.
 5. A combinedpressure filling and dispensing control valve as defined in claim 1,wherein said length of dip tubing disposed over said tailpiece issubstantially coextensive with said tailpiece and said tailpiece isformed with an internal socket for reception therein of an additionallength of dip tubing.
 6. A combined pressure filling and dispensingcontrol valve for an aerosol container having a filling mouthcomprising, a rigid mounting cup for closing said container mouth andfor supporting said valve assembly on said container, said mounting cuphaving a central opening, a tubular valve housing of molded plastic openat its opposite ends with the outer end secured in said cup coaxiallywith the opening thereof, a tubular valve core telescoped within saidvalve housing and having a radially enlarged annular shoulder and anintegrally joined neck of reduced diameter projecting axially outwardlythrough the opening in said cup in marginally spaced relation to saidopening, annular resilient gasket means gripped on its outer peripherybetween said mounting cup and valve housing, said gasket means having abody portion free for axial flexure and a central aperture, the marginof which embraces said neck of the valve core to provide a sliding sealtherewith, a spring compressed axially between said valve housing andvalve core to urge the latter outwardly of the housing and compress thebody portion of said gasket means between said shoulder and mountingcup, said tubular valve core being closed at its inner end and having aport extending through the wall of said valve core neck adjacent saidshoulder, said port being normally closed by said gasket means butmovable into communication with the interior of said valve housing byaxial depression of said valve core against said spring, and conduitmeans at the inlet end of said valve housing for communicating theinterior of said housing with the interior of the aerosol container,said conduit means including a tubular tailpiece integrally formed onsaid housing and a length of resilient plastic dip tubing received oversaid tailpiece, a sleeve on said valve house integrally joined at oneend to said housing coaxially of and at least partially coextensive withsaid tailpiece and being radially spaced from said tailpiece to providean annular well within which said dip tubing is received, said sleevehaving on its interior surface a peripheral lip which makes contactcircumferentially of the surface of said plastic dip tubing to form aseal thereabout within the axially coextensive limits of said sleeve andtailpiece, said contact being effective to prevent by-passing of fluidat normal operating pressures of thE aerosol dispenser but sufficientlyresilient to permit radial distortion at fluid pressures significantlygreater than normal dispensing pressure to break said seal and allowfluid to pass between said lip and dip tubing, passage means formed insaid valve housing communicating said annular well internally of saidlip with the interior of said valve housing; said gasket means at saidhousing outlet end comprising at least two superimposed resilientgrommets, each being axially pierced in its annular body portion atcircumferentially spaced points, said grommets being rotativelypositioned in said valve housing such that the piercing in each of themis angularly offset from that of adjacent grommets.
 7. A combinedpressure filling and dispensing control valve as defined in claim 6,wherein said grommets are pierced to provide circumferentially spacedholes.
 8. A combined pressure filling and dispensing control valve asdefined in claim 6, wherein said grommets are pierced to providecircumferentially spaced slits.
 9. A combined pressure filling anddispensing control valve as defined in claim 6, wherein one grommet ispierced to provide holes and the other to provide slits.